Vital Concept Cycling Club has announced that Tanguy Turgis has been forced to leave professional cycling due to a cardiac malformation. The 20-year-old rider, who has two brothers who are also professional cyclists, was in his first year as a professional in the French team.

Turgis' health triggered the alarms last September at the Famenne Ardenne Classic, where he had to be evacuated to the hospital of Marche-en-Famenne and then to the University Hospital of Rennes. After spending several days there, a cardiac malformation incompatible with the practice of high-level sports was diagnosed.

"The doctors have unfortunately confirmed what I feared since the stress test I carried out last Monday," said the rider. "I suffer from an anomaly that may worsen over time and I can't take any risks. Although I can still ride at a moderate pace and share some outings with my loved ones, I can't do any high-level sports anymore and I feel like everything is falling apart.

"This news change my life. It's hard to accept because I like cycling above anything else and I feel like I'm abandoning my brothers. I couldn't wait to see Jimmy (his brother) by my side next season, wearing the same jersey. It will take me some time to accept this decision but I hope to stay in the world of cycling. I love it too much and I would like to accompany my brothers and help them as best as I can and give them back what they have given me all these years."

This is a hard blow for the team but General Manager Jerome Pineau tries to look at the positive side of it. "This news puts an end to the dreams of a kid and it is an infinite sadness, but fortunately we have benefited from the expertise of professionals who have helped us to avoid experiencing a drama that this sport has known in the past," he explained.

"Despite the shock and the disappointment that we felt at the announcement of the diagnosis, we can consider ourselves lucky. For several days, I've thought of the families of sportsmen and cyclists who have left us practising their passion. Fabrice Salanson, the Belgian Daan Myngheer and his compatriot Michael Goolaerts during the last Paris-Roubaix. We had the chance to avoid this and our goal today is to accompany Tanguy as best as we can and for as long as he wishes."